Butt-ended bag with a buckle-over closing element

ABSTRACT

A stand up bag of a heat-sealable or weldable plastic film for receiving liquid and/or paste-like material. The bag includes two side walls connected to each other along their longitudinal edges. A foldable bottom member is positioned between the side walls and serves as a self-standing bottom inserted at the lower end of the stand up bag between lower transverse edges. A foldable cover member is positioned at the upper end of the stand up bag between the side walls and includes a removal opening between the upper transverse edge of a first side wall and the corresponding cover member edge, with a closure element inserted into the removal opening. To be able to empty the stand up bag in a better and simpler way, the closure element is bendable and is retained by a mechanism for stabilizing and retaining the forwardly bent closure element.

The present invention relates to a stand up bag consisting of aheat-sealable or weldable plastic film for receiving liquid and/orpaste-like material, the bag comprising two side walls connected to eachother at their longitudinal edges, a foldable bottom member which ispositioned between the side walls and serves as a self-standing bottombeing arranged at the lower end of the stand up bag between the lowertransverse edges, and a foldable cover member being positioned at theupper end of the stand up bag between the side walls, and comprising aremoval opening between the upper transverse edge of a first side walland the associated cover member edge, a closure element being insertedinto the removal opening.

Such a bag is already known from WO 95/33663. The already known stand upbag, which is shown in FIG. 14, comprises two side walls, a bottommember serving as a self-standing bottom, as well as a cover member. Thebottom and cover members come to rest within the contour of the sidewalls in the connected state of the bag. Said members unfold accordinglywhile the container is being filled. The members shown in FIG. 14 arewelded to one another for forming the bag. In this process thelongitudinal edges of the side walls are sealed along the areas shown inbroken line. The corner portions of the side walls are connected toportions of the corresponding bottom and cover members in planar orlinear fashion in the manner of a triangle. The transverse edges of theside walls shown in broken line are also connected to the correspondingtransverse edges of the cover and bottom members. A removal opening isformed between a side wall and the corresponding cover member. A closureelement is inserted into said removal opening. However, due to theclosure element projecting upwards in a more or less rigid manner, itmay sometimes turn out to be difficult to pour the filling material outof the stand up bag because the whole bag must be inclined downwards toa considerable degree. Liquid may get spilled in particular in the caseof very full stand up bags.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to improve the knownstand up bag with respect to handling, in particular when liquid ispoured out.

According to the invention this object is achieved in that the stand upbag is provided in the first side wall in an area below the closureelement with means for stabilizing and retaining the closure element ina forwardly bent position.

With the stand up bag according to the invention it is possible to foldthe closure element forwards, the element fixedly remaining in saidposition. The bent closure element will also remain in said position ifthe stand up bag is gripped by one hand for pouring liquid and isthereby compressed. In the bent position liquid can be poured out safelyand simply through the closure element also in the case of very fullbags without the need for inclining the bag to a very great degree.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the upper covermember is also provided in an area below the closure element with meansfor stabilizing and retaining the closure element in an uprightposition.

The stabilizing and retaining means simply consist of at least onelinear embossment which e.g. extends from two sides towards the centrallongitudinal axis of the first side wall. The embossment may extend e.g.in semioval or also triangular fashion. Such embossments form a bendingborder within which, when the closure element is bent forwards, the areabetween the embossments and the closure element bulges inwards into thebag.

The embossment is advantageously arranged in the upper third of thefirst side wall. This leads to the desired stabilization.

According to a preferred embodiment the cover member is connected to therespective side wall via seal seams which extend from both longitudinaledges obliquely towards the removal opening of the first side wall orobliquely towards the upper transverse edge of the second side wall, thesloped seal seams being the outer seams at the same time. Since in thisembodiment the sloped seal seams extend from both ends of thelongitudinal edges to the removal opening or the upper transverse edge,the cover member is no longer restricted by the longitudinal seam andcan easily fold outwards when the bag is being filled. Thanks to theinclined extension of the outer seams, a V-shaped section is formedbetween the two side walls, said section promoting the unfolding of thecover member and permitting an easier handling of the bag.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the removalopening is formed between a side wall tab formed on a side wall andprojecting beyond the transverse edge of the side wall, and a matchingcover member tab which is formed on the cover member, the tabs beinginterconnected along their longitudinal edges. In this embodiment theremoval opening is defined by two tabs into which the closure element isinserted. Such an arrangement permits an even better bending of theclosure element.

It is advantageous when the side walls are provided with longitudinalembossments which extend in spaced-apart relationship between thetransverse edges and are oriented outwards. Said longitudinalembossments form longitudinal fold lines which are embossed in the formof recesses into the film material. In the filled state of the bag thisyields a polygonal shape (viewed in horizontal section) of the filledcontainer, depending on the number of the longitudinal embossments, i.e.a design different from the round shape. When two longitudinalembossments of such a type are e.g. arranged in spaced-apartrelationship in each side wall, the stand up bag obtained in the end hasthe shape of a hexagon in the filled state, so that the containers canbe stored closely side by side during transportation or alsopresentation in shelves of shopping centers, resulting in less clearanceas would be the case with round cross-sections.

According to a further preferred embodiment the length of the first sidewall is greater than the length of the second side wall, so that theremoval opening of the first side wall comes to rest above the uppertransverse edge of the second side wall. Thanks to such a constructionthe removal opening projects beyond the bag edge, so that the closureelements, such as a screw type closure, can be welded into the removalopening in a simplified way.

It is advantageous when the cover member is integrally formed with thesecond side wall. Since the cover member need not be specifically weldedto the upper edge of the side wall, this shape makes a welding stepsuperfluous. Moreover, the cover member can bulge in this area in arounder and smoother form because no projecting weld seam is in the way.This is of particular advantage whenever the closure element is bentforwards, the whole cover member stretching forwards in this process.

The present invention will be described in more detail in the followingwith reference to the accompanying figures, of which:

FIG. 1 shows the components of a stand up bag according to the inventionin a perspective exploded view, according to a first embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the stand up bag of the invention from FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view onto the stand up bag cut longitudinally along lineIII—III of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view onto the stand up bag cut longitudinally alongline IV—IV of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a top view onto a container cut horizontally along line V—V inthe shape as assumed by it in the filled state;

FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of the filled bag shown in FIG. 2, withan upright closure element;

FIG. 7 shows the filled stand-up bag illustrated in FIG. 6, with bentclosure element;

FIG. 8 shows the components of a stand up bag according to the inventionin a perspective exploded view, according to a second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is the front view of the stand up bag shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10a is a schematic side view of the filled bag shown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 10b shows the stand up bag illustrated in FIG. 10a, with bentclosure element;

FIG. 11a is a schematic side view of a filled stand-up bag, according toa further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11b shows the stand up bag illustrated in FIG. 11a, with bentclosure element;

FIG. 12 shows a second stand-up-bag side wall made integral with thecover member;

FIGS. 13a-e show various embodiments of the means for stabilizing andretaining the bent closure element;

FIG. 14 shows a stand up bag known from the prior art.

FIG. 1 shows the individual components of the stand up bag of theinvention, according to a first embodiment. These parts are preferablymade from double-laminated film material in a manner which is known perse.

The stand up bag according to the invention comprises a side wall 2, aside wall 3, a bottom member 10 serving as a self-standing bottom, aswell as a cover member 11.

In the joined state of the bag the bottom and cover members come to restwithin the contour of the side walls. These members will unfoldaccordingly when the container is filled.

A cover member tab 15 is integrally formed with the side wall on thecover member 11. The side wall tab 14 is also integrally formed with theside wall 2, matching the cover member tab 15. The individual membersare now connected to one another to form the bag. In this process thelongitudinal edges 4 and 5 of the side wall 3 are sealed to thelongitudinal edges 6 and 7 of the side wall 2 along the portions shownin broken line. The corner portions 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d of the sidewall 3 are connected to the corner portions 11 a, 11 b, 10 b and therear corner of the bottom member, which is not shown in the drawing, inplanar fashion in the manner of a triangle.

The corner portions 11 d, 11 c, 10 a and 10 c are welded in thissequence to the corner portions 2 d, 2 c, 2 b and 2 a of the side wall2—also in a triangular manner.

The edges of bottom member and cover member that are each orientedsideways are also longitudinally welded to the longitudinal edges 4 and6 and 5 and 7, respectively.

Finally, the lower edge 8 is connected to the edge of the bottom memberthat is assigned to said lower edge 8, while the lower edge of thebottom member 10 which is oriented towards the side wall 2 is welded tothe lower edge 9 of said side wall.

The cover member is welded over the length of its upper edge facing theside wall 3, to the corresponding upper edge of the side wall. Bycontrast, the cover member tab 15 is only welded along its longitudinaledge 16 and 18 to the corresponding longitudinal edges 17 and 19 of theside wall tab 14. The removal opening 12 into which, as shown in FIG. 2,a closure element, here: a screw type closure element, is welded iscreated by the welding or sealing operation along the longitudinal edgesof the cover member tab and the side wall tab. The bag obtained therebycan then be closed again easily if it has not been emptied entirelyafter use.

Moreover, the side walls 2 and 3 are provided with outwardly orientedlongitudinal embossments 21 extending in spaced-apart relationship witheach other, as can also be seen in FIG. 5.

Said longitudinal embossments 21, of which two are implemented each sidewall in the illustrated embodiment, have the effect that in the top viewcut along line V—V of FIG. 2 the filled bag assumes a shape as shown inFIG. 5. With such a hexagonal shape the bags can easily be arranged sideby side without any clearance. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the correspondinglongitudinal sectional shapes of the stand up bag.

As follows clearly from FIGS. 1 and 2, the stand up bag according to theinvention also comprises a means 33 for stabilizing and retaining theforwardly bent closure element 20. The means for stabilizing andretaining is here formed by the line embossment 33 which extends into anarea below the inserted closure element 20. In this embodiment, theembossment 33 is oriented from the inside to the outside approximatelyin semioval fashion. An area 40 which, as will still be explainedfurther below, bulges inwards upon bending of the closure portion iscreated between the embossment 33 and the closure element 30.

FIGS. 6 and 7 are a side view showing the stand up bag illustrated inFIG. 2, the bag being in its filled state. Since the bag is filled, itbulges outwards, as illustrated by portions 35. FIG. 6 shows the closureelement 20 in an upright position. Moreover, FIG. 6 clearly shows theembossment 33 and the area 40 between embossment 33 and closure element20. When for an improved pouring of liquid the closure element 20 is nowbent downwards in the direction of arrow D, e.g. by 90°, as shown inFIG. 7, area 40 can turn inwards into the bag, as illustrated by thebroken line. The curvature within embossment 33 stabilizes and retainsthe bent closure element in its position. Even if the flexible bag isfirmly enclosed by one hand and compressed, the pressure producedthereby is not sufficient for bringing the closure element 20 back intoits upright position because said pressure equally acts on the covermember which stretches due to the bending operation—in particular incases where according to a preferred embodiment the cover member canalso be provided with an embossment 34, as shown in FIG. 1. Saidembossment 34 extends in the joined welded state below the insertedclosure element 20 and extends in this instance also in semioval fashionto the fold edge 11 f of the cover member 11. The embossment 34 is alsodirected from the inside to the outside. On the one hand, it serves tostabilize the cover member when the closure element is in an uprightposition; on the other hand, the portion which bulges outwards withinthe embossment in the bent state of the closure stabilizes the closurealso in this bent position. In said first embodiment the embossment 33extends between the longitudinal embossments 21, and embossment 33additionally extends approximately in the upper third of the first sidewall 2.

FIG. 8 shows a further embodiment of the stand up bag according to theinvention. Said bag differs from the bag shown in FIG. 1 in that thecover member is connected to the respective side wall 3, 2 via sealseams 30 which extend from both ends of the longitudinal edges 4, 7obliquely to the removal opening 12 of the first side wall 2 andobliquely relative to the transverse edge 31 of the second side wall 3.The oblique edges 30 a of the side wall 3 are here sealed to the obliqueedges of the cover member 30 b, and the oblique edges 30 d of the firstside wall 2 are sealed to the oblique edges 30 c of the cover member.The upper transverse edge 22 is welded to the upper transverse edge 31of the side wall. By contrast, the cover member tab 15 is only weldedalong its longitudinal edges 16, 18 to the corresponding longitudinaledges 17 and 19 of the side wall tab 14. The removal opening 12 intowhich, as shown in FIG. 2, a closure element 20, e.g. a screw typeclosure element, is welded is created by welding or sealing along thelongitudinal edges, the cover member tab and the side wall tab.

As becomes apparent from FIG. 9, the longitudinal edges 4, 7 extend onlyup to a point P which is positioned at the same level as the centralfold edge 11 f of the cover member 11. Two seal seams 30 respectivelyextend from said point P at both sides of the stand up bag up to theremoval opening 12 or the upper transverse edge 31 of the respectiveside walls 2, 3. Since the longitudinal seams 4, 7 do not extend overthe whole length hi up to the removal opening 12, the seal seams 30which represent the outer seams can freely move apart in the case of afilled bag, as is e.g. shown in FIG. 10a, and can thus form a V-shapedsection 32. Hence, the cover member can easily be folded apart, and aneasy handling of the bag is ensured in addition.

In this embodiment, a means 33 is also provided for stabilizing andretaining the forwardly bent closure element. Like in the firstembodiment, the embossment 33 extends in an area below the closureelement in semioval fashion. The embossment is directed from the insideto the outside. Area 40 is created between the closure element 20 andembossment 33, as becomes clearly apparent from FIGS. 9 and 10a. Asfollows from the filled bag shown in FIG. 10a, the bag according to theinvention may comprise a cover member 11 which also comprises anembossment 34 which extends from the closure element 20 towards thecentral fold edge 11 f of the cover member 11. When the closure elementis e.g. bent forwards by 90°, the area 40 between embossment 33 andclosure element 20 turns inwards, as follows from FIG. 10b. The bentclosure element 20 is stabilized and retained in said position byembossment 33 even if the bag is held for pouring out the liquid andthus compressed. When the closure element 20 is bent forwards, the covermember 11 is stretched.

The bag shown in FIGS. 11a and 11 b is substantially identical with thebag shown in FIGS. 10 and 10b, except for the difference that length h1of the first side wall 2 is greater than length h2 of the second sidewall 3, so that the removal opening 12 of the first side wall comes torest above the upper transverse edge 31 of the second side wall 3.

The bag shown in FIGS. 8-11 may also be formed without embossments orstabilizing means 33, 34 on the first side wall and the cover member.

As shown in FIG. 12, the cover member 11 which is inserted between theside walls 2 and 3 need not be welded to the upper edge 21 of the sidewall 3, but can integrally be formed with the side wall 3. Since thecover member need not specifically be welded to the upper edge of theside wall, such a shape makes a weld seam superfluous. Moreover, thecover member can assume a rounder and smoother bulge in said area as noprojecting weld seam is in the way.

FIGS. 13a to d show various embodiments of the stabilizing and retainingmeans. All means have in common that they extend below the closureelement 20 from two sides to the central longitudinal axis A of thefirst side wall 3. FIG. 13a shows a triangular shape of the embossment33. It extends substantially from both side edges of the closure elementin triangular fashion downwards. FIG. 13b shows two embossments 33 whichextend below the closure element 20 towards the central longitudinalaxis A. FIG. 13c shows an embossment which extends relative to thelongitudinal axis A in axial symmetry first in vertical direction, thenobliquely and then in horizontal fashion. FIG. 13d shows two semiovalembossments 33 located one within the other. FIG. 13e shows a semiovalembossment which extends at the left and right side from the closureelement relative to the longitudinal axis A. The embossments need notextend up to the upper edge of the bag or the closure element 20 itself,nor do they have to end exactly with the side edges of the closureelement. What is however of importance is that they extend in an areabelow the closure element 20 approximately in the upper third of thebag. The embossments 34 on the cover member may have the same shapes asthe shapes shown in FIG. 13. In this case they extend e.g. from twosides towards the center of the cover member in the direction of foldedge 11 f.

What is claimed is:
 1. A stand up bag of a heat-sealable or weldableplastic, comprising: two side walls connected to each other atlongitudinal edges thereof; a foldable bottom member positioned betweensaid two side walls and configured to serve as a self-standing bottomarranged at a lower end of said stand up bag between lower transverseedges; and a foldable cover member positioned at an upper end of saidstand up bag between said two side walls, and comprising a removalopening between an upper transverse edge of a first side wall of saidtwo side walls and an associated cover member edge, a closure elementbeing inserted into said removal opening; said stand up bag is providedin said first side wall in an area below said closure element with meansfor stabilizing and retaining said closure element in a forwardly bentpouring position.
 2. The stand up bag according to claim 1, wherein saidcover member is provided in an area below said closure element withfurther means for stabilizing and retaining said closure element in anupright position.
 3. The stand up bag according to claim 1, wherein saidmeans for stabilizing and retaining said closure element is formed fromat least one embossment.
 4. The stand up bag according to claim 3,wherein said at least one embossment extends from two sides towards acentral longitudinal axis of said first side wall as a line embossment.5. The stand up bag according to claim 3, wherein said at least oneembossment is a semioval line embossment.
 6. The stand up bag accordingto claim 3, wherein said at least one embossment is a triangular lineembossment.
 7. The stand up bag according to claim 3, wherein said atleast one embossment is directed from an inside to an outside.
 8. Thestand up bag according to claim 1, wherein said at least one means forstabilizing and retaining said closure element are arranged in aforwardly bent position in an upper third of said first side wall. 9.The stand up bag according to claim 3, wherein said at least one removalopening is formed between a side wall tab formed on a side wall andprojecting beyond a transverse edge of said side wall, and a matchingcover member tab formed on said cover member, said tabs beinginterconnected along longitudinal edges.
 10. The stand up bag, inparticular according to claim 1, wherein said cover member is connectedto the respective side wall by seal seams that extend from bothlongitudinal edges obliquely towards said removal opening of said firstside wall or obliquely towards an upper transverse edge of a second sidewall of said two side walls, said seal seams being outer seams at a sametime.
 11. The stand up bag according to claim 1, wherein said two sidewalls are provided with longitudinal embossments that extend inspaced-apart relationship between said transverse edges and are orientedto an outside.
 12. The stand up bag according to claim 1, wherein alength of said first side wall is greater than a length of a second sidewall of said two side walls, so that said removal opening of said firstside wall comes to rest above the upper transverse edge of said secondside wall.
 13. The stand up bag according to claim 1, wherein said covermember is made integral with a second side wall of said two side walls.